Nutritionist School in Virginia

Virginia Nutrition School

Upon earning your college degree, you will be eligible to be certified by either the Clinical Nutrition Certification Board (CNCB) as a certified clinical nutritionist (CCN) or by the Certification Board for Nutrition Specialists (CBNS) as a certified nutrition specialist (CNS). While you are not required to have either of these certifications on your resume, most all employers require them as conditions of employment.

The CCN title is more entry-level in that you only need an associate’s degree to test for it. The CNS, on the other hand, is a specialist certification, and for that you need a bachelor’s degree to be eligible. You must pay a one-time fee of $450 and $300, respectively, to each Board to take these tests and receive certification.

Recertification

Both certification levels will mandate that you continue your education as a certified nutritionist. This reason for this is basic: health and science are constantly evolving and bringing new ideas and theories to the forefront of nutrition. As a CCN or CNS, you need to be informed of these changes and understand their effect on your field.

CCNs will need to attain 40 college credits every two years in order to recertify, and CNSs will need 75 college credits every five years.

Through campus based and online programs, aspiring Nutritionists in Arlington, Richmond, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Alexandria, Portsmouth and Hampton, Virginia may be able to prepare themselves for the possibility of employment in some of the largest hospitals and healthcare facilities in the state including the University of Virginia Medical Center, Saint Mary's Hospital, Lynchburg General Hospital and Inova Fairfax Hospital.